My Response to this post: “last week Statisense broke the data on how globally Nigeria is in bad company of countries whose citizens say they pray daily vs the results they deliver.”
My Response
Nigeria does not even pray enough. For people who do not understand what prayer is, they seem to think that it is a mere religious oddity. As a Scripture Union kid, prayer was an energizer, because it conditioned my mind before exams. I cannot start a car engine today without a short prayer; it wins a psychological state for me. Prayer is not just about religion, it is therapy which boosts ego and elevates energy levels.
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At the peak of the industrial revolution, England was a nation of prayers. As John Wesley roared, England boomed. But when they stopped, America picked it up, and rose. By the time Billy Graham had his microphones, America was mobilized to pray.
China prays but they call it yoga (a prayer with no “God” or “god” in mind). But it does condition the mind, just as religious prayer takes out burdens. “In 2016, 89% of survey respondents in the US said they spent 1 to 5 hours a day practicing yoga. “ That is prayer without Jesus, Allah, etc. In most companies, they have yoga rooms because that thing works.
Nigeria’s problem is not prayer. Our problem is that we do not pray within the laws of physics, hoping for miracles and ignoring “faith without work is dead”, just as work without faith brings pain. Now that I am looking for a ministerial position, Nigeria can ask me to lead Ministry of Kinetic Prayers and Economic Transformation. Lol.
Comments on Feed
Comment 1: I always feel the people who attack Nigerians for praying too much always conflate correlation with causality; Is a reduction in prayers by Nigerians going to automatically turn Nigerians around??.
If these poll was taken during the industrial revolution, Nigeria would probably have been in the company of countries like Great Britain or the United States.
Did Dubai seemingly become the hub it has become because it’s citizens stopped praying, or did Lee Kuan Yew build Singapore by having his people stop praying??
What seems to be true is that great nations in prosperity become less dependent on God and may pray less, I don’t think great nation building, however, is birthed by stopping prayers.
Thanks Prof for your insights on this.
Comment 2: Thanks for this all important topic. My take on this is very simple: prayer is not the problem, as a matter of fact we need more of it times like this for it’s many advantages data can not capture. The question we need ask is: are these prayers prayer indeed?
The principle of true prayer is separate, so is the principle of work. Following one without the other will show in the long run.
Most Nigerians are not lazy in my assessment but we are against many odds that other nations have gone through also before they stabilize and become great.
I believe Nigeria will be great again but we need to work smarter and pray more prayers that work.
Comment 3: The word “Prayer” is a subjective term. The effect of it depends on:
- Who is praying
- Who are you praying to?
- What are you praying for?
- How are you praying?
- Why are you praying?
Someone rightly pointed out here that “correlation does not mean causation”! It is a logical fallacy to equate prayers alone to national development or economic prosperity. The truth remains that the Western civilization was built on the backbone of Biblical prayers and principles.
Even the Bible and many other religions beliefs instruct that prayer, meditation or call it a quiet moment of instrospection; if it is carried out daily without the corresponding work will amount to failure.
Man is a co-creator in his world. Prayer brings the Divine into the process which makes the outcome possible. Nations like China, Japan, UK, etc may be considered as less-praying nations, the fact remains that they practice a different form of prayers backed by sound pragmatic principles that lead to economic development.
In China there is zero tolerance to corruption. In UK the law is applied strictly to bring order. How can a praying nation prosper when it condones corruption?
Never stop praying, and never stop working!
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